16 October not only marks the launch of the latest iPhone (don’t forget to buy your new iPhone 12 case from tech21!) but it’s also Steve Jobs Day. Declared by California governor Jerry Brown shortly after Jobs’ death on 5 October, 2011, it’s a celebration of his creativity, innovation and influence. We all know that he co-founded Apple but did you also know that he was one of the founders of Pixar? Or that he’s credited with inventing the world’s first glass staircase? Yep, the one seen in all the flagship Apple stores around the world..
Steve Jobs was born on 24 February, 1955 in San Francisco, California and grew up in the Bay Area. He developed a love of electronics from an early age and set up Apple with his business partner Steve Wozniak in 1976 when he was just 21. It’s no exaggeration to say this decision changed the tech industry – and so much more – as they launched Apple II, the world’s first mass-market personal computer, the following year.
Jobs stayed at Apple until 1985, when he left to start up NeXT Computers – a company that was then bought back by Apple, leading to his return in 1997. By this point, Apple was in deep trouble and Jobs’ return changed the company’s fortunes in so many positive ways. He was in charge when the company released the iMac in 1998 but it was the launch of the iPod in 2001 that genuinely changed the tech – and music – industry with its ability to store thousands of songs.
The iPhone followed in 2007, completely changing the way we use our phones, and then the iPad in 2010 made the internet even more accessible to so many. This device went on to sell 15 million units in its first year and Apple would become the first publicly traded US company to reach $1 trillion.
As a man, Steve Jobs was driven and obsessed with details and quality. He was extremely persuasive and assertive with an honest approach (you’ve seen the Danny Boyle and Aaron Sorkin film starring Michael Fassbender so you know he likes a walking meeting) that showed his singular focus when it came to his company’s tech. He had a habit of making decisions quickly and effectively, believing you can always make changes later: ‘Innovation is saying ‘no’ to 1,000 things’.
This attitude was shown when Jobs demanded Apple divert their attention away from the iPad so they could launch the iPhone first – a product he rightly declared would have more impact. Jobs’ personal life – at least in the ‘90s and 2000s – was quieter as he settled into a regular daily routine: wake up and put on a black turtleneck sweater at 6am, breakfast with the family at 7.30am, a working day involving morning marathon meetings and design lab afternoons and then a run or walk around Palo Alto after dinner. It won’t be a surprise to anyone that Jobs was also a huge fan of all genres of music.
Apple continue to innovate their devices and apps in Steve Jobs’ honour – and we can think of no better legacy for one of the giants of tech history. The new features of iPhone 12 are truly exceptional, and not to be outdone, our iPhone 12 Pro cases also include game-changing levels of drop and hygienic protection.